The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-12-15
GOVERNMENTAL.
What is Going on IN the State De-
partments.
An Epitome or What Was
Learned at the Capitol
from Thursdays Daily.

There IVES better attendance OF Dlo-
ders yesterday at the comptrolier's sales
of lands for taxes due the stats ia the I'M
organized counties.
The capitol inspecting architects are
about ready with their report, which they
are writing out this evening, and will
present it tomorrow. They are mum as
oysters as to its nature and as to whether
| it will embrace the work on the entire
building or merely the dome. 1t will
probably cover their inspection of the
whole building.
The only written statement as to
alleged defects in the construction was
presented to the governor this morning
by Mr.. NJ. G. Harris, editor of the Dis
patch, containing about the same
complaints which have appeared
in that paper. Mr.. Harris, by the
way, does not claim to be an expert,
and bases his statements upon informa-
ton from parties whose names he gives,
some of them living in Burnett and Others
in Michigan.
One of his witnesses, Mr.. Page, who
did the cleaning and painting" of the
granite, writes to the governor that 1t
would have been Impossible for any patch
| ing of the stone to have escaped his at
tention, and that while his relations with
the contractor, Mr.. Wilke, have not been
agreeable, he feels it to be his duty, as a
citizen interested in a public work, to
make this statement, which, but for his
absence, he would have made sooner, in
| Justice to all parties concerned. He
gives the name of another party who pre-
ceded him in the work, and who will
make the same statements.
The Harris charges embrace alleged de-
viations from the specifications of the
contract, but it is contepded that what
ever changes we're made were authorized
by the capitol board, and that, If there is
any fault in them, the board, if anybody,
and not the contractor, is to blame.
! Professor Cooper, state superintendent
of education, rules that the salary of a
public school teacher, for any month, can
not be reduced on account of the failure
of pupils to come to school, if the teacher
remains at the school-house, ready to
perform his part of the contract. This
question, he says, has been tested in the
courts and so decided. somewhat
similar case is given in 40, Michigan re-
ports, page 43O. This ruling, he adds,
|
trustees and teacher should specify to the
contrary.
A county superintendent writes to
Professor Cooper: 81 have been engaged
| the past ten weeks in visiting and lectur-
ing to the schools and school communities
in this county. am glad to be able to
report quite change for the better.
Under the new law the efficiency of our
teaching has been increased 100 per cent.
More professional literature, relating to
our work, has been bought in this county,
| in the last three months, than in five years
before"
Treasury deposits to-day, $12O00-all
for account of general revenue.
The comptroller purchased $4,000,
out of $4,000 court house bonds, to be
issued by Fannin county.
The governor having refused to COM
mute the sentence of Cruz Rodrigues
coveted of murder in Uvalde county, h
will be hung on Friday, December 8.
Capt. ]. C. Carr, OF Midland, one of the
chool land classifers, arrived yesterday.
Captain Carr has finished his classified
ton of the land in Ector county, and has
made out his report of the same. His
report shows that two-thirds of the land
in Eotor county is agricultural, and the
remainder the finest kind of grazing land.
Mr.. Carr has travelled all over Midland
and Ector counties, and says that every
bit of the land in both counties is most
excellent grazing land, and about two
thirds of it good
AGRICULTURAL LAND,
-. .-k;ab ,,;tb tola,okIa fo;- e.,so-.
wheat, oats, corn, millet, sorghum, alfalfa
and vegetables of every description will
grow to perfection, and as to fruit and
grapes, every variety that can be grown
in California and in the Rio Grande val
ley. All any person has to do to be con.
WINGED that they attain the most vigorous
growth, and will bear large quantities of
fruit and grapes, is to go out to Mr.. w. s.
Worley's and Mr.. j. s. Curtis orchards
and vineyards, and see for themselves.
There you will see peaches, pears, apples,
figs, Ell Paso and raisin grapes,
not TO speak of their excellent
gardens, growing just as fine as in
California or the Rio Grande valley. 1t
is tire these gentlemen have good wells,
wind-mills and tanks and irrigate their
patches, orchards and vineyards when the
rain does not accommodate them with
sufficient supply of water, but why can't
any other enterprisIng man do the same?
The fact of the business is he can.
From Fridays Daily
The secretary of state yesterday fled
the charter of the Portlock Mining com
psny, of Texarkana. The capital of the
company is $4,000. Incurporators: W.
Portlock, G.. A.'Hays, W. NJ. Campbell and
V. L. Harmon.
Treasury deposits amounted to $1,000
about two thirds for general revenue and
the balance for account OF the school
fund.
Madison county redeemed one thousand
dollars of court house bonds.
Out of 1000 tracts of land sold by the
comptroller in the last few days for taxes
due the state in unorgapized counties,
about fifty sections only were bid in by
the state.
The capitol inspecting architects will
make their report to the governor to-day.
1t is believed the report will be generally
favorable as to the main building and will
recommend some means for strengthening
the supposed weakness in the dome. At
least that is about what the general pub.
lie expects, and will doubtless settle all
serious questions as to the merits of the
structure.
The charter of the Austin Water, Heat
and Power company was filed yesterday